The Marriage of Nathan West

The Confrontation

Maxie let herself cry for a little bit before she decided to take action. Whatever Nathan was up to, it wasn't of his own doing and if he wouldn't tell her, she would find out for herself and make him let her help. She called the station and asked for Josh Conrad. He came on the line with no hesitation and agreed to talk to her as soon as he could but it likely wouldn't be until the next day. Frustrated, she considered what else she could do. She sat heavily on the bed and replayed the last 24 hours in her head.

Everything had been fine until she went to the restroom the first time. When Maxie came out, Nathan had been trapped by the bar with his ex. Then Chelsea had kissed him and Maxie thought she could fly across the room to claim her man. It was Scott Chambers who had stopped her. If he hadn't, Maxie would have confronted Chelsea and Nathan would have dragged her away insisting that they leave after that. None of this would have happened if Scott hadn't stopped her.

No, she decided with certainty. It wasn't Scott that started this whole thing. It wasn't Scott who ruined their night. It was Chelsea Pendleton. She was also the one who cast blame on Maxie for Scott's death. To make all of it even worse, Nathan had been fine before he left to speak with her and now he was gone without an explanation. Chelsea was at fault for all of this, Maxie decided, and she should be held accountable for the mess she made.

She reached for her phone and sent Eric Holt a text asking for Chelsea's address. He offered up the address promptly but tacked on a question about Maxie's reason that she ignored. He didn't need to know the reason. And to be perfectly honest, the less warning Chelsea had, the better. She took a moment to redo her makeup and change clothes. She wasn't going to show up at a Manhattan penthouse looking like she'd been in an interrogation room all day. Especially when the penthouse was owned by Nathan's ex.

During the cab ride, she found a calm center that came from knowing she was taking action. It wasn't in her to let things happen to her. She carried that feeling with her to Chelsea's apartment, finding herself standing in front of her door and feeling like herself for the first time all day. She rang the doorbell, surprised when it opened almost immediately.

Chelsea Pendleton stood in the doorway, dressed in a lavender silk robe that hit her mid thigh. She flicked a curious gaze over Maxie before recognition set in and her expression shifted to something Maxie couldn't quite read. Chelsea raised an eyebrow, smirking at Maxie, waiting for her to say something. Maxie returned the arch look and pushed past her into the apartment. It was spacious and stylish, someplace Maxie could easily see someone like Madeline Reeves at home in. She spun on her heel and watched as Chelsea turned to face her with a curious gaze.

"Don't they have manners in Port Charles?" Chelsea asked, still holding the door open. "I don't believe I invited you into my home."

"That's funny," Maxie returned. "I didn't think you would. We need to have a little talk."

"Do we? About what?"

"For starters, you kissing my boyfriend."

Chelsea rolled her eyes. "That's very middle school, Maxie."

"I don't care what you want call it. Nathan is with me now. Not you. Keep your hands and lips off of him."

Chelsea gave her a bored yawn. "Is that all you came here to say?"

Maxie glared, annoyed with her attitude. "Isn't that enough? You made sure everyone saw you pawing him last night including me. I can only assume you wanted me to confront you."

"So why didn't you say something last night?" Chelsea closed the door, shifting away from it to the sofa. She sat down and crossed her long legs, picking up a tumbler off the coffee table and pouring herself a glass of what Maxie thought was whiskey. "I can't imagine why you wouldn't have. Unless it was because you were too busy smashing poor Scott Chambers over the head."

"I didn't."

"Really? You know I heard you fighting with him.Such behavior Maxie. Did he make a pass at you? Actually, I know he did. Scott likes women. Whoops, liked. Have to get used to that. Still that was no reason to bash his skull in."

Now that she was having an actual conversation with the woman, Maxie disliked her even more than she had based on Nathan's description of her. All the more reason to get her hooks out of Nathan, she decided.

"I didn't and you know it. I don't know what game you're playing but it isn't going to work. Nathan is going to figure out why you're lying."

"James," Chelsea returned. "Knows I'm not lying. I did see you run from that room, Maxie. As for the rest of it, well, let's just say the rest of it is up for interpretation. And I think James can interpret it exactly the way I want him to."

"Nathan knows what a lying cheat you are. He won't let you get away with lying about me or what you say you saw. He believes me and he'll find out who really killed Scott."

"Your faith in him is really naive."

Naive? No, Maxie's faith was sure and certain. After all, he stood by her for months during the mess with Judge Walters and saved her from certain death more than once. He had even waited for her when she was slightly confused about Spinelli. That was no small matter either. He was going to stand by her through this too. She knew it. No matter what Chelsea said.

"Far from it. He's stood by me since the moment I met him," Maxie said with a defiant toss of her hair. "No matter what you say to him, that won't change. And I know you said something to him!"

Chelsea lifted her eyebrow, giving Maxie a calculating look. "But he didn't tell you?"

"He didn't have to. But I trust him and he trusts me. He promised everything would be okay and when this is all over, we are going home together."

Chelsea let out a brittle laugh. "No, you won't." She stood up, walking to the door, and yanking it open. "I know for a fact that James won't be returning to Port Charles with you or by himself."

"Of course he is."

"No, he isn't. God, do I have to spell it out for you? He isn't going home with you because he's staying here with me. We're getting married."

"That's a lie!" Maxie felt the words like a punch to the gut. Was that what Chelsea had demanded of him? Was that the reason he had left the hotel room? Of course it was, she realized. But why would he do that to her? She knew Nathan couldn't stand Chelsea.

"Is it? Ask him," Chelsea said with a jerk of her head. Maxie turned slowly coming face to face with a miserable looking Nathan West, soaking wet and wearing nothing but a towel.